Individuals and organizations frequently maintain wireless networks in order to provide on-the-go connectivity for themselves and others. Wireless access points traditionally use an identifier, such as a service set identifier (SSID), to help direct wireless network traffic to the appropriate destination, especially when there are multiple access points that are within signal range of each other. Devices may connect to a particular access point by listening for identifier broadcasts and attaching an identifier used by that access point to network packets bound for a network managed by the access point. In cases where the access point does not broadcast an identifier, a device that already is aware of the proper identifier to use may still be able to locate and connect to the access point by transmitting probe requests for the network.
Unfortunately, devices may inadvertently give away identifying information when they probe for networks. Once a device is aware of a particular network identifier, it may regularly broadcast probe requests in an attempt to locate the associated network. Hackers or other malicious entities may sniff data from these probe requests and/or network packets being transmitted by the device. Malicious entities may then be able to use these sniffed identifiers in conjunction with publicly available information to derive information about the owner of the device, such as a home address. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for improved systems and methods for selecting wireless access point identifiers.